Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H Motherboard

Introduction

The Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H is a mid-range socket LGA1155 motherboard targeted to the “Ivy Bridge” processors (third-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors). Let’s see what this motherboard has to offer.

The Intel Z77 is an upgraded version of the Z68 chipset with the same basic features (Intel Smart Response Technology and Virtu video switching technology), plus native support to four USB 3.0 ports. It also includes the addition of two new technologies: Smart Connect (allowing the computer to receive emails and refresh webpages while it is in sleep mode) and Rapid Start (faster boot times).

In addition, the Gigabye Z77X-UD4H supports the Virtu Universal MVP, which allows you to combine the performance of the integrated graphics processor available in the CPU with the performance of any video card installed. This is similar to what occurs with the Hybrid SLI and ATI Hybrid Graphics technologies, with the notable difference of not being limited to GPUs from a specific manufacturer.Gigabyte has launched 21 different motherboard models based on the Intel Z77 chipset; we list the differences between them in the tables below. We won’t describe the Z77X-UD5H-WB WIFI and the Z77X-UD3H-WB WIFI models, as they are simply a version of the Z77X-UD5H and the Z77X-UD3H models bundled with a PCI Express x1 expansion card containing IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking and Bluetooth 4.0. This card is also included with the Z77X-UP7 and with the G1.Sniper 3 motherboards. Prices were researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this article.

Specification

G1.Sniper 3

Z77X-UP7

Z77X-UD5H

Z77X-UD4H

Z77X-UD3H

Z77X-D3H

Z77-HD4

Form Factor

E-ATX

ATX

ATX

ATX

ATX

ATX

ATX

Memory Sockets

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

PCI Express x16 3.0

4 (x16/x0/x16/x0 or x16/x0/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8)

4 (x16/x0/x16/x0 or x16/x0/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8) + 1

2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8)

2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8)

2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8)

2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8)

1

PCI Express x16 2.0

0

0

1 (x4)

1 (x4)

1 (x4)

1 (x4)

1 (x4)

PCI Express x1 2.0

2

2

3

3

3

3

2

Standard PCI

1

0

1

1

1

1

2

CrossFireX

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

SLI

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

SATA-300

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

SATA-600

6

6

5

6

2

4

2

eSATA-300

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

eSATA-600

0

0

1

2 (shared)

2

0

0

mSATA

1

1

1

0

1

1

0

USB 2.0

4

4

6

6

6

6

8

USB 3.0

8*

10

8*

8

8

8

4

FireWire

2

0

2

0

0

0

0

BlueTooth

Yes, 4.0

Yes, 4.0

No

No

No

No

No

Gigabit Ethernet

2

2

2

1

1

1

1

Wi-Fi

Yes, a/b/g/n

Yes, dual-band 802.11b/g/n

No

No

No

No

No

VGA

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

DVI

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

HDMI

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

DisplayPort

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

Thunderbolt

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Audio

CA0132

ALC898

ALC898

ALC892

VT2021

VT2021

ALC887

Voltage Regulator

12+2+1

32+3+2

12+2+1

8+2+1

6+2+1

6+2+1

6+2+1

Price

USD 270

USD 400

USD 190

USD 165

USD 145

USD 150

USD 130

* The motherboard has only four “real” USB 3.0 ports that are expanded to eight using hub chips.

Gabriel Torres is a Brazilian best-selling ICT expert, with 24 books published. He started his online career in 1996, when he launched Clube do Hardware, which is one of the oldest and largest websites about technology in Brazil. He created Hardware Secrets in 1999 to expand his knowledge outside his home country.